


Noodle! Fetch!

by CrazyBeCat



Series: Writer Bingo Challenge Three [7]
Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: Dogs, F/F, Mirandy Year of Fun & Frolics, Pre-Relationship, Sweet, Writer Bingo, chance encounter, fetching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 04:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14783838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyBeCat/pseuds/CrazyBeCat
Summary: Miranda is out at the park with her daughters. They have a new foster dog and are playing with him. They bump into Andy, and it may just be the start of a new friendship.





	Noodle! Fetch!

**Author's Note:**

> Here's another one for the bingo!  
> For Bingo Card Six: Fetching  
> (not super edited. weeee. sorry, but oh well.)  
> I hope you enjoy it!  
> Lots of Love,  
> CBC

“Noodle!”

“Noodle, give me the ball, give me the ball.”

“Go get it! Cassidy has it, go get it!”

Miranda looked up from her book to watch for a few moments, content with her relaxing on the park bench as her daughters ran around and played with their new foster dog. She abhorred the name, but the Golden Retriever was very sweet… nonetheless, she hoped that the shelter would find the dog a good forever home quickly, so she never had to say the name ‘Noodle’ ever again.

She looked down to Patricia, who was settled at her feet and watching the action, tongue lolled out and eyes following the movements sluggishly. Miranda felt her chest squeeze at the thought of how Patricia wouldn’t be with her forever. She was reaching eleven years, and having trouble with her health. Even with all the money in the world, Miranda would not be able to make Patricia live forever.

“Hey, mom!”

Miranda looked back up, smiling at her girls.

“Yes, bobbsey?”

“Watch! He’s really fast!” Cassidy turned and looked to the excited dog. “Ok, Noodle. Sit.”

The dog immediately did as instructed, tail wagging the whole time.

“Ok, now, go fetch!” She threw the ball, and Noodle shot off like a rocket, catching the ball before it hit the ground.

“Good boy! What a good boy, Noodle. Good boy!” Caroline chased after the dog and rubbed her hands all over his back, making him wiggle and shake, his tail whipping through the air in his obvious enjoyment of the attention.

“He is very fast,” Miranda acknowledged. “He’s also full of energy, so keep wearing him out. I have plenty of water, so maybe in a few minutes take a break and let him get something to drink.”

“Ok, mom!”

Miranda watched for another minute before returning her attention to her book, enjoying the rare chance to read a fiction novel.

“Oh no!”

“I’m so sorry!”

“It was an accident!”

Her head snapped up, and she placed her book down. “Patricia, stay.” She commanded, before jumping up and immediately moving towards her daughters and a woman standing beside them. Cassidy was holding onto Noodle’s collar, and Caroline’s arms were waving in the air as she spoke.

Fear gripped at Miranda’s chest, thinking that perhaps Noodle had bitten this stranger, only to feel it begin to ease away when she heard, “We were playing fetch. I threw it backwards over my head, I’m sorry I hit you.”

Children hitting a stranger with a tennis ball was much less of a problem than a dog biting someone.

“Girls, what happened?” She asked, keeping her tone level, and not looking towards the woman yet.

Cassidy turned around and answered, “Caroline was trying to see how high she could throw the ball for Noodle to catch. So, she threw it up and backwards, over her head. The ball hit her.” Cassidy pointed over her shoulder at the woman standing beside Caroline.

“Did-” Miranda cringed as she said the dog’s name, “Noodle run into her, or just the ball?”

Cassidy shook her head. “Just the ball. I think.”

“Just the ball hit me,” the woman said.

Miranda startled at the voice and looked up to see a familiar face look back at her. “Andrea?”

The woman gave a sheepish smile and raised a hand in a slight wave. “Miranda, hi.”

Three years certainly could make a difference. Andrea had always been fairly attractive, especially after the fashion makeover and her confidence shot through the roof… but now… she was absolutely stunning. She wore a sleek pair of dark, tight jeans, paired with a pretty red jumper. Her hair was trimmed shorter than it had been at Runway, and it was extremely flattering. She looked good. She looked more than good, she looked vibrant, absolutely radiant, and it made Miranda’s mouth become a little dry.

Mentally shaking away her surprise, Miranda schooled her features and nodded. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I don’t think so. Might have a bit of a bruise on my shoulder, but nothing serious. I’ve had much worse than a tennis ball wacking into me.”

“You two know each other?” Caroline asked.

Andrea beat Miranda to answering, giving Caroline a light smile as she said, “We do. I used to work as your mother’s assistant a few years ago. You two were nine-years-old, and we didn’t see each other very often. I’m not surprised you don’t remember me, but I was the assistant that got you the Harry Potter books.”

“Oh!” Caroline’s face turned bright red and she shared a look with her sister. “Oh, we remember now.”

“You look different,” Cassidy stated matter-of-factly.

Andrea laughed. “I’m sure I do, three years is quite a long time. You two look different too. You’ve grown so much taller! You must have just finished seventh-grade. How did it go? Is it less boring than elementary school was?”

“It’s so much better.”

“Except for math! Math is awful.”

“Oh dear. Math can be quite hard. I hope it gets better.” Andrea smiled. “Now, who is this lovely dog you’ve got with you?”

“This is Noodle!” Caroline exclaimed.

“He’s our new foster dog. We’re watching him and taking care of him while the shelter looks for a new home for him.”

“That’s so wonderful for you to do. Fostering dogs is so helpful to animal shelters.”

Miranda watched as her daughters nodded, and then looked at her, throwing her for a loop when the asked, “Mom, can Andy go to lunch with us?”

“Yeah, can we go to the cafe where we can sit outside with Patricia and Noodle?”

“It can be an apology for hitting her with the ball.”

“Please?”

Miranda stared, feeling a little overwhelmed, at the hopeful faces of her daughters and swallowed against her parched throat. She still felt bitter about Paris, but this Andrea seemed much more sure of herself, and Miranda felt the desire to get to know this older, and more mature version of her past assistant. Perhaps the bitterness over Andrea’s terrible professional choice could be put to rest.

She found herself shifting her eyes from her girls and locking gazes with the younger woman. After a second she said, “If Andrea is not otherwise busy, she can accompany us.”

Andrea held the impromptu staring contest for another moment before giving the twins a bright smile. “Lunch sounds delicious. I just finished with an interview, so I’m free for a few hours. I would love to accompany you.”

Cassidy and Caroline grinned back. “Great!”

“Mom, we’ll go get Patricia and all the stuff.”

“Mom, hold Noodle.” Miranda found the collar of the Golden Retriever unceremoniously transferred into her hand before her daughters dashed off towards the bench where she had abandoned all of their items in her haste.

She gave the dog a firm look, and said, “Stay,” then let go of the dog’s collar. He obeyed the order, and stayed sitting.

“May I pet him?” Andrea asked.

“Hmm? Oh, yes. He’s very excitable, but he won’t bite.”

Miranda watched as Andrea reached out and let the dog sniff at her fingers.

“How are you, Miranda?”

“Fine. Busy.” She felt off-kilter around this much more confident woman, and was having trouble equating her with the assistant who worked for her.

“Hmm. I know this isn’t the best time, but I know I made a very big mistake in Paris, and I would like to say I’m very grateful to you for not making me suffer for it. I was an adult sure, but I still had a lot of growing up to do, and I had some bad influences from friends who didn’t like seeing me grow up faster than they were. So, thank you, for not crushing my chances, when I would have rightly deserved it after my deplorable actions.”

Miranda once again found herself shocked. What a declaration. “You’re right, this isn’t the best time,” she agreed. “But, maybe, if lunch goes well, we can exchange contact information, and discuss this at a later date. It seems like much has happened to change your ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude. You’ve certainly grown-up.”

Andrea laughed, and scratched at Noodle’s ears. “I like to think I’ve made some positive changes in my life. And I think I would like that, Miranda. I think I’d enjoy your company quite a lot when I’m not your assistant.”

“Ok, mom! Let’s go! Here’s your purse!”

Miranda accepted her purse from Cassidy and gave Andrea a slight smile. “I think I’d enjoy your company, as well, Andrea,” she replied, finding herself truly meaning it as she and the other woman followed behind Cassidy and Caroline, and the two dogs.

**Author's Note:**

> Ta-Da!  
> I'd love to hear what you thought!  
> Lots of Love,  
> CBC


End file.
